For one living the other side of the globe, I glean understanding from the actual footage of catastrophe or apocalypse through the media — read, hear and see from videos and pictures.

In the US, since 911, the rebuilding on the former World Trade Center site is yet complete. I wonder about this situation in Haiti.

To rebuild Haiti from scratch is a monumental task. Who will take the initiative? Who can come up with a masterplan to help in the rebuilding? Which comes first? The infrastructures or housing? Or both these got to be built at the same time?

Accordingly, funds are available to help those survivors. How are these funds managed?

BBC’s journalist, Rupert Wingfield-Hayes gave a candid and factual record of the situation today on — Haiti’s ‘ghost’ tent villages:

One thought struck me: Since tents are not available for all the survivors, why not supply the basic building material for the Haitians who live in the outskirts of the city to rebuild their own homes?

Offer alternatives…not just suggest building temporary tents to tie Haitians over the forthcoming monsoon period!

Ask the Haitians how they can help themselves?

Surely the Haitians want to help themselves. They know how to build for their own survival. Many had survived before the quake, surely given whatever raw material to help these folk to help themselves through — which might cost just as much as for those NGOs to building interim tents. Or, am I a little naive?

Let’s help the Haitians to help themselves to their feet. I’m sure many are still in state of shock but when there is something to fix their minds and hearts upon — when they are able to build their own temporary quarters, miracles might happen — there will be greater self-respect and hope.